Spring Ho draws in thousands to Lampasas, even with record-setting heat

Lampasas, Texas (KWTX) - It was triple digit heat all around central Texas today.

Many people stayed inside with the cool air conditioning, but for a lot of other area residents, keeping the tradition of celebrating a week-long festival was no reason to stay in.

When it comes to the Lampasas Spring Ho, for many of the residents, it was too big of an event to not go.

“Well, I’m married, that’s why,” said one attendee when asked if the heat was too much to bear.

Married or not, temperatures in the triple digits are something serious. Doctors say they are used to people coming in because of heat-related illnesses this time of year.

“As people get out in the heat and they aren’t quite expecting it and they’re not (acclimated) to it,” said Dr. David Cummings with AdventHealth Central Texas. “Acclamation happens over the course of several days, to several weeks if you’re outside in the heat.”

To get used to heat this intense, go outside little-by-little before going out for extended periods, suggested Cummings.

More importantly, stay hydrated and away from alcohol and caffeine.

“You should be looking at electrolyte solutions, then you should be looking at water,” said Cummings. “Then you should be looking at anything else.”

But that may not always happen.

And if any illnesses do set in, the first thing you should watch for: dizziness and fatigue.

“A common misnomer is that people that end up going into heat stroke or heat exhaustion will not be sweating,” said Cumming. “That’s actually a misnomer, because most of the time those people are sweating profusely.”

Regardless, some out-and-about in Lampasas seized the opportunity to capitalize on people’s need for hydration.

“It’s like 100-degrees Fahrenheit, so you got to do what you got to do, you know,” said one vendor selling bottles of water.

So as some capitalize on the need for hydration, and others have fun cooling their friends down, it seems the heat is not stopping anyone from going out.

Just keep a keen eye out to see if you or your friends or having issues from the heat.

“The earlier they get to you and the earlier they bring you into some place to cool down, the earlier you cool and get hydrated, the better your chances are of not meeting me,” said Cummings.

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